10 Great USPGA Celebrations

The smiles, fist pumps and other celebrations of recent USPGA champions

USPGA celebrations
Tiger must have loved his front-row seat on YE Yang's unusual choice of celebration in 2009

From hoisting your bag aloft to fist-pumps and looks of utter disbelief, everyone reacts differently to winning the USPGA. 10 great USPGA celebrations here:

10 Great USPGA Celebrations

He might not look happy here but Jason Day celebrates with victory tears after breaking the major scoring record to par, by finishing the 2015 USPGA at 20-under.

USPGA celebrations

Jason Day celebrates with his caddie Colin Swatton on the 18th green at Whistling Straits. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Related: 2016 USPGA Betting Tips

You’d celebrate like this too if you’d just done what Bob Tway did in 1986 at Inverness Club. Tied with Greg Norman after 71 holes, Tway found a bunker and Norman the fringe of the green on the 72nd hole. But against the odds, Tway holed out to win by two as Norman three-putted.

Bob Tway holes out at Inverness in 1986 - one of several Major agonies for Greg Norman

Bob Tway holes out at Inverness in 1986 - one of several Major agonies for Greg Norman

Payne Stewart pulls some cool moves in his Chicago Bears outfit as another birdie putt drops down the stretch to see him pinch the 1989 title by a stroke at Kemper Lakes.

USPGA celebrations

Another birdie down the stretch for Payne Stewart in 1989

Related: Baltusrol Hole by Hole Guide

“What just happened there?” a bewildered John Daly seems to be thinking, as the final putt drops at Crooked Stick in 1991 having been ninth alternate for the event just a few days before.

Big John looks completely overcome at Crooked Stick in 1991

Big John looks completely overcome at Crooked Stick in 1991

Tiger reacts to holing a slippery downhiller on the 72nd hole to force a play-off with Bob May in 2000, which he would go on to win to keep the Tiger Slam alive.

Just one of many clutch putts Tiger holed in his pomp - Valhalla 2000

Just one of many clutch putts Tiger holed in his pomp - Valhalla 2000

Padraig and Sergio haven’t always got along too well, so it’s just possible that this winning fist pump in 2008 was further fuelled by the fact that Padraig had again seen the Spaniard off after a gripping Major tussle.

Padraig makes it three Majors out of six at Oakland Hills in 2008

Padraig makes it three Majors out of six at Oakland Hills in 2008

Related: How to Qualify for the USPGA Championship

You’ve just comprehensively outplayed world number one Tiger Woods to become Asia’s first Major champion, so what do you do… hoist your TaylorMade bag above your head and grin like a Cheshire cat, obviously. At least, that’s what YE Yang did in 2009 at Hazeltine. Perhaps the best of our great USPGA celebrations?

Now that's how to celebrate becoming Asia's first Major winner

Now that's how to celebrate becoming Asia's first Major winner

You’d go for more of a relaxed smile if you’d just won the USPGA by a record eight strokes as Rory did at Kiawah in 2012 – the second of four Majors to date.

Rory cruises home at Kiawah in 2012

Rory cruises home at Kiawah in 2012

We’ll excuse Jason Dufner this cheeky little fondle of his wife’s posterior on completion of a fine victory at Oak Hill in 2013.

Jason Dufner, 2013 - did he think no-one was looking?

Jason Dufner, 2013 - did he think no-one was looking?

A slightly more animated response from Rory last year having overcome a poor start to a final round that would eventually finish in near darkness. Leading after the third round, Rory was down by as much as three shots at one stage on Sunday before a stunning eagle on 10 fired him right back into it.

Rory celebrates after winning it the hard way in 2014

Rory celebrates after winning it the hard way in 2014
Jeremy Ellwood
Contributing Editor

Jeremy Ellwood has worked in the golf industry since 1993 and for Golf Monthly since 2002 when he started out as equipment editor. He is now a freelance journalist writing mainly for Golf Monthly. He is an expert on the Rules of Golf having qualified through an R&A course to become a golf referee. He is a senior panelist for Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK & Ireland Course Rankings and has played all of the Top 100 plus 91 of the Next 100, making him well-qualified when it comes to assessing and comparing our premier golf courses. He has now played 1,000 golf courses worldwide in 35 countries, from the humblest of nine-holers in the Scottish Highlands to the very grandest of international golf resorts. He reached the 1,000 mark on his 60th birthday in October 2023 on Vale do Lobo's Ocean course. Put him on a links course anywhere and he will be blissfully content.

Jezz can be contacted via Twitter - @JezzEllwoodGolf


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